Struggling with clutter that's affecting your well-being? Missi McKown knows the feeling—and how to fix it. After tackling her own organization challenges, she turned her passion into Clear Spaces Organizing, helping Twin Cities homeowners reclaim their spaces. From decluttering home offices to organizing kitchens and pantries, Missi and her team have transformed countless homes and lives. One writer got her writing space back, a painter reclaimed her art studio, and a client even lost weight after optimizing her kitchen setup.

Missi believes the secret to getting (and staying) organized is finding what works for you—and she’s got expert tips to share in this episode.

For more on Clear Spaces Organizing:

🔗 Website: https://www.creatingclearspaces.com/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearspacesorganizing/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clearspacesorganizingmn

"When we're worried 24/7 about how we look or what we weigh, that's just stealing joy from day to day."

Dana Robinson speaks from experience. She went through a tough transition after college, where she was a Division I athlete. Leaving this highly competitive environment, she found her focus on diet and exercise becoming borderline unhealthy. Fortunately, she found support from a therapist, and her thinking about her body shifted in new ways as she became a mother, as well.

As a body neutral personal trainer, she has cultivated an approach that emphasizes functional outcomes and realistic, sustainable habits. Her clients find joy in their bodies' capabilities.

Follow Dana Robinson:

https://www.vitaliawellnessllc.com/

https://www.tiktok.com/@dana.robinsoncpt

https://www.instagram.com/danarobinsoncpt

https://www.youtube.com/@DanaRobinsonCPT/playlists?app=desktop

Emily Camp began to have hearing changes, nausea, and neck pain in high school. She was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis type 2, which causes benign tumors to grow on the hearing and balance nerves in the brain. As she entered college to pursue her dream of becoming a physical therapist, her doctors told her she'd need to have the growths removed, and this process would cause her to lose her hearing in both ears. Emily shares what it was like to undergo such a major health experience at such a young age, and how her determination, humor, and the support of her now-husband helped her thrive amid these challenges.

Nurse Natalie Lu of The Reflective Collective explains how art and creative journaling are good for our brains, mental health, and longevity. She also shares prompts you can use to kick off your own creative journaling practice, and she has created a calendar that serves as a beautiful guide for those who want to participate in a creative, supportive community all year long. The video version of this podcast is available on YouTube at

Separate but related: I'm excited to offer a virtual workshop Jan. 20 on forming a creativity and wellness vision. Your vision is your north star to guide you through 2024 and help you reach your well-being and creative goals. Details: https://www.connectiontowellness.com/wellness-connection-blog/creativity-and-well-being

For more on Natalie and The Reflective Collective:

The Reflective Collective on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/824484235176062/

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_reflective_collective/

Or email Natalie to learn more about creative journaling and her calendar: thereflectivenurse at gmail.com

It took a painfully long time for doctors to determine Navy veteran Brandi Privitera's diagnosis. And then, when she went looking for resources on how to manage this condition, she was dismayed to find a lack -- of information, of ways to connect with others, and of research funding for fibro. She turned her frustration into action: starting a blog, BeingFibroMom.com, then turning to advocacy via https://supportfibromyalgia.org/. She shares her story and struggles in this interview, and she shines a light on the path forward for the fibro community.

Wellness Wins is hosted by NBC-HWC Aleisha Theisen. Get her free energy-boost guide at www.connectiontowellness.com.

Other resources:

Certified Forest Therapy Guide Mel Schneider describes the experiential practice of forest bathing and how it can help us reconnect with nature. Want to set up a guided walk with Mel? Check out her website: Wild Wanders Forest Therapy Walks: https://www.wildwandersmn.com/. She also works with companies that want to set up a guided walk for their employees. You can find her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/wildwandersmn.

Wellness Wins is hosted by Mayo Clinic-trained health and wellness coach Aleisha Theisen. She loves chatting all thing self-care and well-being at www.connectiontowellness.com. You can also find her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/connected_to_wellness.

Rachel is not new to the busy lifestyle of a mom. She has four young children, including a daughter with Prader-Willi syndrome, and she and her husband work hard to keep everything in balance in their home life. Their strategies change as their family grows and their needs shift. She shares the lessons she's learned in how to maintain self-care and manage everyone's schedules in a way that helps their family thrive.

Host Aleisha Theisen is a Mayo Clinic-certified health and wellness coach. She loves chatting about all things wellness, self-care, and well-being with clients, podcast guests, and via her blog at www.connectiontowellness.com.

Accepting her diagnosis of diabetes took RN Patricia Daiker some time, and it included acknowledging grief -- she would never again be the person who didn't have to monitor her glucose numbers. But with self-compassion and allowing herself to process that grief, she began to thrive again. In this episode, she shares how that transition happened. Now Patricia helps other diabetic folks understand how to manage their diagnosis, process difficult emotions around it, and find the energy they need to thrive as well. You can find out more about her 5-step program to managing diabetes at Better Diabetes Life: https://betterdiabeteslife.com/. She also provides guided meditations via Insight Timer: https://betterdiabeteslife.com/meditations/

To learn more about Aleisha's wellness coaching services for caregivers, healthcare professionals, and writers, check out: https://www.connectiontowellness.com

It started with fatigue, then her legs felt a little funny. A few weeks later, Lora Swoape was hospitalized with a Guillain-Barre syndrome diagnosis. This rare but debilitating neurological condition would leave her paralyzed for some time. Fortunately, the syndrome is regressing, and she's working on walking independently again. It's been a long, difficult road, but she keeps looking forward, using her vision of wiggling her toes in the sand on the beach as a vision to drive her to get her mobility back again. Her positivity and resilience are so inspiring. She also does public speaking around patient safety and coaches other clients who are going through major health challenges. You can find out more about Lora on her website: https://www.clickyourhealscoaching.com/about-me.

Miriam Mbugua suffered horrible stomach pain and other digestive issues throughout her adolescence. As she got older, she began to learn ways to improve her gut health and thus her overall wellbeing. Now Miriam is a gut health coach helping other folks improve their gut health (she helped me improve my acid reflux). Her coaching emphasizes self-compassion and taking small steps, and it's customized for the individual's unique needs. And she is proof that it works! Hear 3 fun facts you might not know about the digestive system and learn some practical ways to start improving your own gut health in this interview with Miriam.

To connect with Miriam Mbugua and learn more about her gut health coaching services: https://www.facebook.com/kuimbugua